RPG's Protagonists: Dragon Quest Creators' Metaphorial Take

The Evolving Role of Silent Protagonists in Modern RPGs: A Conversation Between Dragon Quest and Metaphor: ReFantazio Creators

This article features a discussion between Yuji Horii, creator of the renowned Dragon Quest series, and Katsura Hashino, director of Atlus' upcoming RPG, Metaphor: ReFantazio. The conversation, excerpted from the "Metaphor: ReFantazio Atlas Brand 35th Anniversary Edition" booklet, explores the challenges of utilizing silent protagonists in a landscape of increasingly realistic game graphics.

Horii, known for his Dragon Quest series' signature silent protagonist, describes this character as "symbolic." This approach allows players to project their own feelings into the character, enhancing immersion. The silent protagonist acts as a player surrogate, interacting primarily through dialogue choices.

Horii notes that the simpler graphics of earlier games made the silent protagonist a natural choice. However, with advancements in graphics technology, a static protagonist can appear unconvincing. He humorously observes, "As game graphics evolve and grow increasingly realistic, if you make a protagonist who just stands there, they will look like an idiot."

Horii, a former aspiring manga artist, attributes his foray into game development to his passion for storytelling and computers. Dragon Quest's narrative structure, built around dialogue with NPCs and boss interactions, is central to its design. "Dragon Quest basically consists of dialogue with townspeople, with very little in the way of narration. The story is created using the dialogue. That’s what’s fun about it," he explains.

Horii acknowledges the growing difficulty of maintaining this approach in modern games. While the NES-era's minimalist graphics allowed players to fill the emotional gaps, the increasing detail in visuals and audio presents a significant challenge. He concludes, "That’s why, the type of protagonist featured in Dragon Quest becomes increasingly difficult to depict as games become more realistic. This will be a challenge in the future too."

Hashino, whose Metaphor: ReFantazio features a fully voiced protagonist, contrasts this with Dragon Quest's approach. He praises Horii's focus on the player's emotional experience, stating, "I think Dragon Quest puts a lot of thought into how the player will feel in a given situation... I feel like the games are consistently created with the player in mind, thinking about what emotions will arise when someone says something." This highlights the differing philosophies in character design and narrative delivery within the RPG genre.